Movement Day Doncaster – a new conversation begins

Leaders of the city, community groups and churches gathered at Cast Theatre Complex in Doncaster on the 20th June 2018 to start asking the question “What’s next for our borough?”

Movement Day Doncaster began as a celebration of 20 years of christian unity in the borough. One Heart One Voice and Mission Doncaster have been praying together and serving the area in friendship and togetherness for 20 years and it was time to celebrate! But as leaders of the unity group came into contact with Movement Day, they began to think bigger. They saw an opportunity to draw people together for a new purpose.

“We honour the dedicated work of many leaders across Doncaster over 20 years.” says Roger Sutton, Director of Gather, “They have helped create a wonderful culture of loving unity. This unity has and is producing fruit across the city with the Church becoming more strategic and co-ordinated than ever before.”

So, the celebration grew into a two part event.

The day time drew together leaders and stakeholders from charities, the local council, the chamber of commerce, churches of different denominations and community groups to really delve into a new understanding of the state of their borough and begin to see a way forward to develop vision together for Doncaster.

The Church & Community sessions were led by Lloyd Cooke and Matt Bird from the Cinnamon Network. They were activating the leaders to think wider than church, to recognise their position as agents of change and transformation and to foster more working partnerships in the community based on strong relationships.

The Civic & Commercial sessions were led by Mark Greene from LICC where business and civic leaders were challenged to see their work as a channel for God’s creative power. They also reflected on the culture of the borough and where it is going. A special session was given impromptu by the Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce, Dan Fell who shared the ways they are working for positive change in the borough and asked for help in connecting to the community.

The evening session was a great celebration where we enjoyed a comedic magician and times of worship. Roger Sutton shared the broader perspective of Movement Day UK and the context of seeing what is happening in Doncaster as a part of a national and international move of God. Craig Sider from Movement Day spoke about the foundational importance of unity that is transforming cities all over the world. Debra Green from ROC left us with a great challenge to not get comfortable in christian unity and prayer, but to go out and connect with the city and work in partnership with the civic bodies.

“If we are to have the biggest impact in our place, we need to ensure that we focus on the areas where the shape of our place is being formed, and the narrative is being written. Church, Commercial, Civic, and Community; each of these strategic leadership quarters contributes to influencing people and places.”Ian Mayer, Director of Movement Day Doncaster

Roger Sutton concludes by saying “Movement Day Doncaster is the first of many cities around the country who will be taking their unity on to another level. Movement Day in a city or town is about harnessing the unity to begin to pray and work for a long term vision of that place.”